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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · safe · squash · track · mine · wax · saw · charge

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. track — a path
  4. charge — a price
  5. track — a song
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — in control
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. saw — the tool
  15. squash — the sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — electricity
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — to keep track
  21. saw — the tool
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mine — an explosive

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com